


The Hold

by gallygaskins



Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Love, Love Confessions, Male-Female Friendship, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-10 23:30:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1165880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gallygaskins/pseuds/gallygaskins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Betty asks Daniel for a favour - to go to couples massage lesson with her. What happens when the heat gets turned up? Set during Season 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Hold

The Hold  
  
Daniel sat at his desk, his fingers steepled in front of his face, his eyes tracking Betty’s movements as she worked away in her office across the corridor, contemplating the strange request that she had asked of him during her morning break.  
  
He leaned back into his chair, the event playing away in front of him again for the umpteenth time since she’d waltzed into his office, a mug of coffee for each of them in her hands and had taken a seat on one of the white leather chaise. Intrigued, he’d walked the short distance to where she was and sat down next to her.  
  
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” He’d grinned down at her, pushing her gently with his hip playfully.  
  
Her brilliant smile shone back at him, “I have a favour to ask?”  
  
“Oh?” His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. “And what would that be?”  
  
“Well, Hilda gave me this gift for Christmas and I can’t use it on my own.” His stomach flipped over several times attempting to ascertain what exactly Betty could be asking of him, he opened his mouth to say something smart but nothing emanated. He shut it again as quickly. “You see, she bought it when Matt and I were still together, I think she thought it would help us … you know?”  
  
He shook his head trying to make sense of the possibilities that were whirling around inside it. “Um, no. Maybe you can fill me in?” He gulped, his throat ridiculously dry.  
  
“It’s a lesson,” she began, her eyes watching him intently, “in massage.” She looked away, a hint of a blush tinging her cheeks a rosy pink. “For couples.”  
  
Whoa. “For couples?”  
  
“Yeah, lame huh?” Her smile had all but gone. “I’m sorry, Daniel. You know what, forget I asked.” She stood slowly, smoothing down her skirt before beginning to turn away from him.  
  
He caught her arm, pulling her down to sit next to him once more. “No, Betty. It’s ok. I’d …”  
  
“Daniel, please. I wasn’t really thinking clearly. I had a silly notion that you and I … as friends …” She stopped, wetting her lips momentarily, “I’ll just tell Hilda ‘thanks’, but I can’t use it. Maybe she and Bobby …”  
  
Daniel’s hand grabbed at hers, “I’d love to.”  
  
Betty’s brows furrowed. “Sorry?”  
  
“Well before you went into your little tirade, I was going to say ‘I’d love to’.”  
  
“But you really don’t have to.”  
  
“Who said I was having to? I have my own mind, Betty. I can decide to do something like this without feeling like I have an obligation to you because we’re friends. Besides, it sounds like fun, perhaps I can pick up a few tips. It’s not like massage has ever been in my arsenal, maybe it will help with the ladies.” Now it was her turn to shove him, the force from her shoulder nearly pushing him from the chaise. He straightened himself up, still grinning, “so when and where is it?”  
  
“Saturday, at this Thai Chi place in Union Square. I’ll text you the address when I get home.”  
  
“Don’t you think it would look a bit odd if we turned up separately? Especially as we’re supposed to be a ‘couple’, Betty.” He wiggled his eyebrows as he smirked.  
  
She whacked his arm, “ok, we could meet at a diner for breakfast or something beforehand, if you want. I just thought it might be easier.”  
  
“Anything I need to bring?” He asked.  
  
She shook her head, “no. Just wear something comfortable, like sweats.” She got up and turned to look at him. “Thanks, Daniel.” He got up, falling into her arms and one of her hugs, “this means a lot.” She said, “I owe you.”  
  
“Yeah,” he said quietly, drawing in her scent with each breath as he held her, before bringing her closer to him. “No problem, Betty.” Reluctantly he let her go as her arms slid away from around his neck. “What time do you want me to call by?”  
  
“It starts at ten thirty, is ten too early?”  
  
“Not unless you do want to go get some breakfast before?”  
  
She smiled, her eyes twinkling from his gesture to give up even more of his Saturday for her. “I’d love that, we can catch up with what’s going on around here. How about nine then, we can get something close by to the studio.”  
  
He nodded, “yes. We’ll do that.” He said as she skipped out of his office and down the hall.  
  
It had now been exactly an hour and fifteen minutes since Betty had left his office and he still wasn’t quite sure that what had happened was actually real. A hint of a smile touched his lips, the thought that she obviously regarded him highly enough to contemplate asking him to do this with her was making his skin tingle with anticipation and excitement. This could really be a turning point in their relationship, if he played his cards right.  
  
And then he remembered, she’d only just split up with Hartley, it was too soon to think about having a chance with her. And also, why was he suddenly having these inappropriate thoughts about his former assistant turned best friend?  
  
He looked up at the sound of the door of his office being closed. “Mom? Hi.”  
  
“You looked like you were a million miles away?” Claire smiled warmly.  
  
He shook his head, before returning her smile. “I’m back now.” He said, before adding, “can I help you with something?”  
  
“Not really, I just stopped by and was then wondering where you were.” She replied, following his gaze across the hallway and smiling to herself. “And by the looks of things … this wouldn’t have anything to do with Betty, would it?”  
  
He looked up sharply, his eyes scrutinizing his mother’s face. “Why would it be?”  
  
She threw her hands up in the air resignedly, “oh, I don’t know. Perhaps it’s just the way that you keep looking towards her office just in case you might catch a glimpse of her?”  
  
He caught himself in the act and returned his gaze back to Claire. “I don’t?”  
  
“Well, the alternative doesn’t seem so appealing, to me anyway. I know you have a thing for your assistants, Daniel, but Marc? I don’t think he’s really your type dear.” Claire smirked.  
  
Daniel sighed, knowing that his mother was right. He let his head rest on the desk in front of him, his forehead resting against the cool glass in a vain attempt to cool his nerves. “I don’t know what the hell is going on with me. Ever since those Blobby awards I just can’t help feeling that there could be so much more between us.”  
  
Claire took a seat in front of him, “you have feelings for her? Oh, Daniel, that’s wonderful.”  
  
  
He looked up resting his chin on his hands, “is it?”  
  
“Of course it is. You two would be amazing together. I mean, more so than you already are. You’re such good friends that a loving relationship is the next natural step for you.”  
  
“God, I hope you’re right.”  
  
  
“What’s going on?” She asked suspiciously.  
  
“Her sister gave her a present for her and Hartley to enjoy together.”  
  
“And that has what to do with you, exactly?”  
  
“It’s a couples massage lesson, mom. And now she’s on her own she asked me, as her friend, to go along as her partner.”  
  
Claire sat back in her chair, her arms folded over her chest, an all knowing smile upon her face, “you’re going, I take it?” She watched him nod his head, “good. She likes you too.”  
  
  
“Mom, come on.”  
  
“Best friend or not. There is no way a woman such as Betty would ever ask you to join her with an experience like that unless she did.” He raised an eyebrow, “look, Daniel.” She continued, “I’m sure you understand exactly how sensual a massage can be between two people that care for one another. She obviously trusts you enough to keep your hands to yourself, figuratively speaking.” His other eyebrow rose to meet the first. “You do know what’s going to go on in this class, don’t you?”  
  
He shrugged, “we get diagrams, a bit of blurb, get shown how to use the technique on volunteers?” He ventured.  
  
She grinned, “I wish I could be a fly on the wall. Have fun Daniel.” She got up to leave.  
  
“What happens, mom?” She shook her head. “You’re not going to tell me?”  
  
She opened the door, “you’re going to have a lot of fun finding out exactly what’s going to go on in that class. Have a great time, son. We’ll talk more soon.” Then she was gone.  
  
He stood up, walked around his desk and perched himself on the edge, all the while looking towards Betty. He watched her get up and catch his eye, smiling and sending him a cute little wave. He grinned back, no longer able to help himself. Whatever would be, would be. He certainly wasn’t going to back out of spending sorely needed time with her, whatever happened in that class. Her new position as an editor was clearly cutting into any time that they would usually spend together as a pair, so dedicating the day to her would be important and vital in whatever capacity she needed from him.  
  
“Roll on Saturday,” he mused, as he waved back towards her. “Bring it on.”  
  
.oOo.  
  
So much had happened in the few days running up to Saturday that Daniel couldn’t think straight. For a start Thursday had not only been the day that Amanda had finally admitted to not wanting to be anything than more than friends with him and they had stopped seeing one another. But Betty had also had to have her braces removed after they accidentally became attached to the diamond encrusted Million Dollar Bra.  
  
In truth, she’d already scared him when she’d been knocked out by one of the security guards, her head clattering sickeningly against the cold marble floor of the Guggenheim. He had knelt beside her head, her glasses lovingly cradled in one hand as he stroked her hair with the other, cooing her back to reality. Anybody who didn’t know them would’ve thought they were more than what they actually were and that thought had carried him through most of the day until he’d seen her beautiful smile without it being hindered by the purple metal of her braces any longer. Not that he’d ever minded the braces and had had several fantasies kissing her whilst she still had them, taking him back to his teens. His head was filled with all sorts of ideas and visions, that incredible smile of hers with her naked teeth, him running his tongue over her full lips and around her mouth as he hugged her to him, kissing her deeply.  
  
He’d even offered to take her out to celebrate but her family had already planned a special treat and who was he to take that away from her, hoping that he’d get another chance to see her back at work before the weekend dawned. Another chance to see that wide smile and have it reawaken his dreams and the possibilities of a future with her that were becoming ever prominent.  
  
Sadly, it wasn’t to be. He’d been holed up in advertisers meetings all morning and when he’d been able to get away and back to Betty’s office in order to ask her to lunch she’d gone out for the afternoon. He’d sought out Amanda then, asking her where Betty was and if she was likely to return that day, Amanda had grinned sardonically at him before cryptically saying, “you’re just gonna have to wait for her, Papa Bear.” A statement which had rendered him pretty much useless for the rest of the day and when he finally managed to drag himself to bed, he was unable to sleep. What the hell had Amanda meant?  
  
Stepping out of the town car in front of Betty’s building, Daniel watched as the black sedan cruised away from him. Today he would be just like any other New Yorker, he would ride a bus, get in a cab or even ride the subway, just so long as it meant spending every single second with the wonderful woman he had come to adore. He looked at his watch, he was a little early but he felt sure that Betty wouldn’t mind so much especially if she knew that the early morning chill was getting through to his bones, even through the heavy grey marl sweats he was wearing.  
  
He caught the door as an elderly woman came out to walk her dog, letting himself into the building and running up the several flights of stairs to Betty’s door, hoping that Marc and Amanda where either dead in their beds or still out form a night on the town. As he rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, he stopped short, staring at the door that would secure his fate at least for the foreseeable future. For someone who had largely been very sure of himself when it came to women, he found himself wondering if what he was doing or even thinking was right. He knew Betty loved him platonically, he just didn’t know if she could ever get past that and truly love him, as a man and as her lover. He hung his head, what was he doing? This was all way too forward, knocking on her door and expecting to be invited in when he was early and she had no indication of his imminent arrival.  
  
But he couldn’t just stand there either, he had to do something. “Pull yourself together, Meade.” He said quietly to himself beratingly, “this is just Betty, for Christ’s sake. She’s seen you picking up a paper in your boxer’s from across the hall, for crying out loud.” He could do this, he had to. There was no way he was going to spoil her day.  
  
He stepped purposely towards her door, his knuckles rapping on the wood. “Just a minute,” he heard her call from inside. From the other side of the door it seemed like a whirlwind was taking place, things being moved, dishes clattering into the sink, an expletive when she must have stubbed her toe and which she was still holding when the door opened revealing her leaning against the fridge trying to rub her foot.  
  
“You should’ve been wearing your glasses,” he managed, as he took in the wondrous sight of her in dark grey yoga pants, a matching long sleeved, round necked t-shirt and a vest in a creamy apricot which hugged her curves and ended just on her hip. Crossing the threshold he closed the door behind him before effortlessly picking her up in his arms and depositing her onto the couch. He knelt in front of her, picking up her foot in his hands and gently massaging the toes. “I seem to keep finding you in odd predicaments this week, Miss Suarez,” he joked, before adding, “those especially where I seem to end up with a part of your anatomy in my lap.”  
  
She giggled, the sound of it touching at his heart and making it respond in a way that was totally unfamiliar to him. He felt his cheeks warm, was he blushing? He put her foot on the floor, “where are your socks?” He asked, getting up and moving towards the bedroom, “and what about your glasses?”  
  
“Socks are on the bed,” she called from over her shoulder, “and I don’t need my glasses, thanks.”  
  
He picked up the cotton socks from off the counterpane, and noticed a pair of training shoes by the dresser which he assumed she’d selected for the day. Resuming his place in front of her he took up her first foot into his hands, smoothed the sock on over it and tied up the training shoe. He looked up into her face, her eyes totally unhindered by the one item that she always wore. “Why don’t you need glasses?” He asked picking up her other foot and repeating his actions, she bit at her lower lip. “Did you have laser surgery yesterday afternoon and one of the side effects is increased clumsiness.”  
  
“No,” she said, “I’m not ever getting surgery on my eyes. Do you know they grate them?”  
  
“Your eyes?” He quizzed, watching her nod. “So what, someone gave you magic pills and told you if you took them your eye sight would be completely restored to twenty twenty vision?” He smirked.  
  
“Sometimes, you think you’re so clever, smart Alec.” She said, retrieving her foot from his hand and standing up. “I got contacts.” She moved across to the other side of her room, distancing herself from him. "Shall we get breakfast?”  
  
He nodded, “yes, whatever you want. My treat.” He said, taking the knapsack from her and hauling it over his shoulder. In companionable silence they exited her building and walked for the bus stop. “How’s your toe?”  
  
“It’s good,” she turned towards him, her smile bright, “thanks, Daniel. That was very good of you to look after me like that.”  
  
“It was a pleasure,” he said rather seductively, her forehead ruffled, “I mean my pleasure, it was my pleasure to help you out. After all, it’s nothing compared to all the things you’ve done for me over the years.” He covered.  
  
He noticed the fleeting smile that tinged her lips, “here’s the bus,” she said, getting onto it and paying for the two of them knowing that Daniel was unlikely to have any change in his pockets. She ventured towards the back, finding a seat. He sat next to her, his arm resting against the back of the chair in order to keep himself seated as the bus jostled over the city streets.  
  
He watched her intently, her face lighting up every time she saw something incredible from outside of the window. It made him want to hold her, caress her, kiss her, his head leaning in towards hers, so close that he could smell the lemon scent from her hair products, the hint of vanilla from her skin, the moment tuning out everything around them until she suddenly turned and cracked her head against his. “Ouch,” he simpered, sitting back into the seat and holding his hand against his head, seemingly dazed momentarily.  
  
“Sorry, Daniel,” Betty reached up, attempting to prise his fingers away from the superficial wound, a red mark denoting the point of impact, her lips soon caressing the spot with a kiss as if he were a toddler with a grazed knee.  
  
“I can see I might need to take out extra insurance,” he sniggered, taking her hand away from his head and kissing the fingers, watching the unmistakable colouring of a blush rise on her cheeks and her décolletage.  
  
For several minutes they continued to gaze at each other, their eyes searching the other’s features until she moved quickly up from her seat and pressed the bell, “we’re here.”  
  
He clamoured through the crowded aisle off the bus behind her, pulling his hoodie back down over his hips as he straightened himself up. He turned on the spot, recognising one of his old haunts from his manwhore days, grabbing Betty’s arm and pulling her down the street and around the corner so as not to be recognised, depositing her outside an unimposing diner. “What was that all about?”  
  
Responding with a shrug of his shoulders he simply stated, “we’re here.”  
  
“Hmm. I just don’t get you sometimes.” Allowing her hand to slip from her hip she turned and walked into the café, asking for a table for the both of them. Relieving himself of the knapsack, he sat down opposite. “Sometimes you’re the sweetest man I’ve ever known,” she said, looking up from her menu, “and then there are other times.”  
  
“I’m sorry I grabbed a hold of you like that. I used to go into that bar quite a lot and there may be some people I know that hang out there still.”  
  
“From when you were a himbo?” Her eyes sparkled, her face smug.  
  
He hung his head, “yes, maybe.”  
  
“Daniel, you buried that part of yourself a long time ago. You should be proud of who you are now.”  
  
“I am, you’ve helped me so much.”  
  
“It wasn’t all to do with me,” she said smiling, her hand creeping towards his before hurt clouded her face in sudden realisation, her hand shot back from where it had originally come. “Are you afraid of being seen with me?”  
  
“What?” He asked, “are you kidding? Have you seen yourself lately?” He checked himself, “I mean, any guy would be mad to not be proud of having you on his arm, Betty. You’re …” He gulped at his increasingly drying throat. “You’re hot.”  
  
“Oh,” she looked back at the menu, “thanks.”  
  
Quickly changing the subject they chatted over breakfast as if he had never made his revelation to her. Once sufficiently fed, they made their way back to Union Square and to the address that she had for the classes. The room was set up with five massage beds running along each side of the hall, a young man by the name of Trevor, greeting the couples as they turned up. Betty had handed over her voucher and was told that they should pick a bed and cover it with the sheet that she had packed away into the sack. They selected the table at the far end of the room, Daniel helping Betty to cover the bed with the sheet before finding a safe place to put the little bottle of apricot kernel oil and taking a seat.  
  
“Hey, Daniel isn’t it?” A perky petite blonde at the next table asked.  
  
“Yep,” Daniel said, checking Betty’s face for any kind of negative reaction, “I’m sorry I don’t remember your name.”  
  
“Relax,” the blonde smiled, “I’m not sure you’d remember any, although the last place I ever expected to see you was somewhere like this.” She gestured towards the room. “It’s Sheri, by the way.” Daniel still couldn’t picture where he knew her from and Betty was now looking decidedly antsy. “One time producer of that God awful morning show where your ex-fiancée broke up with you live on TV.” She looked over to Betty, “you seem familiar too.”  
  
“I was Daniel’s assistant at the time. I’m Betty.” She simply stated taking Sheri’s hand and pumping it once.  
  
“And you’re a couple now,” Sheri smiled, “that’s just too sweet. You look great together, by the way.”  
  
“Thanks,” they said at the same time, looking back at each other before laughing. “We’re not actually together,” Daniel confided.  
  
“Oh. Shame.” Sheri said, looking between the two of them and shaking her head. “So, are you both looking forward to today?”  
  
Betty nodded, “very much. Although I didn’t realise there would be a practical element.”  
  
“It’s all practical,” Sheri snickered, “how do you think you’re going to learn otherwise?”  
  
Betty looked across to Daniel slightly perplexed, “so where are the volunteers then?” He asked.  
  
“Volunteers?” The confusion evident on Sheri’s face, “oh, did neither of you get any information about this class.” They both shook their heads, “you are the volunteers. This is a couple’s massage class designed for two people who love one another to learn to massage the other.” She laughed.  
  
“Holy …” Daniel leant against the table as his legs gave way.  
  
“… Crap!” Betty slumped back into her chair. “I’m going to kill Hilda.”  
  
Trevor clapped his hands attempting to bring the group to some kind of order. “Please everyone gather round,” he waited for group to form a circle before continuing, “welcome to massage for couples. There is nothing more magical than for one partner to be on the receiving end of a loving massage from their mate. This class today is designed to enable everyone here to offer and receive a relaxing massage, we all know what it’s like to come home from a hard day at work,” Daniel watched an eyebrow raise on Betty’s face, “and feel like they need some kind of a tonic to revive their tired bodies. Who better to relieve them of this need than the one person they have chosen to spend their lives with and vice versa.”  
  
Trevor continued to explain the technique’s they would be using and that the strength needed to carry these out came from below their waists. Betty’s other eyebrow twitched upwards at that remark and Daniel had to smile, especially when a small ’o’ appeared on her face as her mouth dropped open at the suggestion that the women would be administering the massage techniques on their men first. He watched her wet her lips and gulp, and he hadn’t even taken his shirt of yet. “So guys, if you’d like to remove any garments on the upper parts of your body and lie down on your beds. Ladies, you’ll firstly be using the hold and the sweeping techniques that I showed you on your partners back, we’ll do that for about ten minutes and then we’ll apply some of the pressure techniques after that too, that will be the ruching with the fingers, the kneading with the heel of your hands and then the knuckles. Let’s make a start.”  
  
“Gosh, Daniel has a great body,” Sheri appraised as she whispered to Betty, “shame he’s not yours. If only I wasn’t married.”  
  
Daniel could tell that Betty was desperately trying not to look too flustered by whatever Sheri had said to her, but it was obvious that she was weighing something up in her mind. She preened at the towel covering his bare back before bending closer to him, “are you ok with me putting my hands on you, Daniel?” He nodded, looking up from where he had cradled his head in his hands taking in the look of complete concentration that was now plastered on her face and that he never failed to be mesmerised by; it took him back to countless times when they had worked together on something, late into the night.  
  
The feeling of her warm hands applying the lightest pressure to different parts of his back through the towelling made his head spin. He felt safe, relaxed and it was strangely erotic until her hands left him completely, the towel tugged down over him to his waist and the end tucked into the waistband of his sweats, her fingers delicately brushing against his skin. He sighed, her slightest touch setting him alight, the anticipation of her oiled hands caressing his skin sending his mind off to a place where only the two of them existed.  
  
With the warmed oil on her hands, they glided effortlessly across his back in long sweeping movements, the caresses so gentle and pleasurable that a small groan emitted from his throat. “Are you ok?” She whispered.  
  
“I’m great, Betty.” He drew in a long steadying breath, it was an effort keeping himself face down on the bed without grabbing hold of her and taking her somewhere private. “I can’t wait to do this to you.”  
  
Her hands stopped momentarily, before she started applying some of the pressure techniques that they had been shown, the heel of her hand kneading at the flesh on the left hand side of his spine, “that’s so good.” He emitted, before a resounding “ow!” The tips of her finger nails digging into his flesh.  
  
“Sorry!” She smirked, catching the intensity of the look in his eye. For a brief moment he laid himself bare, the feelings he had for her on show for her to see and hopefully recognise. She looked away, her eyes watching her hands as they began to gently sweep back over his skin. If only he knew what she was thinking, or even how she felt about it him.  
  
Drawing the towel back over his back at the end of the back massage and the end of the first session, she uttered another apology before grabbing her phone and running off. He put his top back on before traipsing out to the vending machine with his classmates, paying for two coffees and heading back into the room. Ten minutes had flown by by the time Sheri and her husband had come back from wherever they had rushed off to. “Betty not back,” Sheri asked, noticing the untouched coffee.  
  
Daniel sighed. “Not yet. You don’t think she’s run out on me, do you?”  
  
“No,” she smiled kindly, “she was in the ladies on her phone when Blake and I startled her.”  
  
“I wondered where all the heat was coming from,” Daniel joked, as he noted Blake taking hold of Sheri’s hand and rubbing it against his thigh.  
  
“Betty seemed to be cooking up a storm over with you too,” Blake countered, grinning as his wife pinched his butt.  
  
“Maybe,” Daniel said.  
  
“Men are so blind.” Sheri scoffed, “she like’s you, Daniel. As much as, or even more so, than you like her.”  
  
“How can you even know that?” Daniel asked perplexed.  
  
“Yeah, honey,” Blake said, “how do you know?”  
  
“It’s obvious, the looks she’s giving you, the shallow breathing, and the redness to her cheeks, she’s obsessed.” Sheri shared knowingly, “plus for the brief moment Blake and I were making out in the stalls, I overheard her conversation. I don’t know who she was on the phone to but she kept on saying that it was as if she no longer knew how to act around you, that things felt different between you, like there would be another side to your story. She even told them that she thought the feelings she was experiencing were more than any she felt for … let me see … Walter, Henry and Matt. She told them that she thinks she’s in love with you.”  
  
Daniel’s heart was in his mouth, “did she mention any other names?”  
  
“Yeah, the one she mentioned before, the one she said she was going to kill.”  
  
“Hilda! She must have spoken to her sister. Thanks Sheri, I owe you one.”  
  
“You owe me nothing, Daniel. I’ll just be happy to see two people so obviously in love, get together.”  
  
“Well, it hasn’t happened yet,” he remarked, noting Betty walking back across the room towards him, her teeth biting her lower lip once more, “but wish me luck.”  
  
“Ok, class. It’s now time for you men to show your ladies how capable you are at giving rather than receiving.” Trevor said, “but first you’ll need to help them whilst they remove the clothing from their upper bodies, by shielding them from view with the towels you brought with you.” Betty’s eyes were wide, and he understood why. There had been plenty of times that she had seen him parading around with very few clothes on but he’d rarely seen her in anything other than her work clothes. “Ladies, you’re free to remove your bras if you wish or you can leave them on and have your gentleman unhook them once you’re lying on the table.” Trevor added.  
  
At least they now had the safer option which he knew she’d take. He followed her over to the wall, holding the towel up around her so that she was concealed from view, her back turned towards him. As she began to take off the vest, he turned his head catching a look from Blake, Blake grinned and winked his eye, before turning his attention back to his wife.  
  
He closed his eyes, turning his head back to dead centre before getting up the nerve to reopen them again. She looked back at him, her arms covering her modesty as he realised that her bra was sitting on top of her clothing on the seat. “Sorry,” he murmured, gently encasing her upper body in the oversized towel and allowing her to take her place on the table. He stood in front of her shielding her from view just in case an opportunist copped an eyeful as she adjusted herself on the table, she was certainly a lot braver than he ever imagined she would be. “Are you ready?”  
  
She nodded, pulling her hair up into an untidy bun on the top of her head and securing it with the band from around her wrist, before settling her head on her hands much the same as he had when she had been massaging him. He placed his hands over her back, Trevor insisting that the men needed to do their ‘hold’ long enough to reassure their partner of their good intentions and hopefully understand when their partner was relaxed enough to continue to the next stage. He pulled the towel down over her legs, revealing the silky honey coloured skin or her back from beneath it, his trembling hands tucking the towel into the waistband of her pants, a trail of goose pimples running across her skin from his contact. She smiled up at him, reassuring him that he was doing ok.  
  
He cupped a hand, squeezing some of the oil into it before placing the bottle back on the floor and rubbing his hands together, the oil gently warming between his fingers before he started smoothing the oil from her furthest shoulder blade over her lower back and then up again to the other shoulder. Stroking his hands gently over her skin he could tell that she was relaxing into his touch, her eyes now closed and her breathing slow as the oil was spread further over her skin. Trevor had encouraged him to move onto the next set of techniques eliciting the odd quiet moan from Betty. It was hardly audible but he could hear it in his chest, reverberating against his ribs and slicing into his heart. “How does that feel?” He asked, purely as a distraction to calm himself down a bit.  
  
“Mmh, good,” she sighed, “Daniel, you’re very good at this.”  
  
Oh, if only she hadn’t said those particular words. Now all he wanted to do was grab a hold of her, carry her off somewhere private and have his way with her in the most ungentlemanly way he could think of. And he had plenty of thoughts on that score, glad that his hoodie at least covered the growing evidence of his arousal. He finished up quickly, pulling the towel back up over her body, resting his hands over the towel to encourage the ‘hold’ once more and then helping her to get up from the table without her showing her assets to the rest of the group. He watched as she retrieved her bra hoping to God that she would put it on quickly, but she lingered, half turned towards him so that he could make out the contour of her breast and of what he hoped was a half roused nipple. She caught his eye as he gulped, “I think we need to talk.” She said quietly, rotating towards him a little more, teasing him further, before slipping the straps of her bra over her shoulders and securing the fastenings at the back before turning completely to face him and adjusting the cups right in front of his very eyes. “Can we have dinner later on?”  
  
“I … I … I’m meeting with someone later.”  
  
She grabbed at her t-shirt putting it on over her head. “Are you still seeing Amanda?”  
  
“No,” he shook his head resolutely, “we finished Thursday, to be exact.”  
  
“Oh,” she sounded surprised, “someone I don’t know then?”  
  
“Yeah, I met her a couple of weeks ago at a fundraiser for the hospital.”  
  
Betty nodded, her smile fading a little as she finally pulled the vest top on over her head and adjusted it to sit correctly. She leant up and kissed him, “we really do need to talk, Daniel.” She looked him dead in the eye. “How about tomorrow?”  
  
“Busy then too,” he dropped the towel, letting it sink to the floor. The class now over, he quickly kissed her on the cheek, “do you need me for anything else?” He said quickly, hardly giving her any time to respond to him before virtually running out of the door, his phone to his ear as he stepped out of the room. “I need a town car as quickly as possible.”  
  
.oOo.  
  
Betty was stunned. How could Daniel, of all people, do that to her. Pulling the sheet from the bed, she started folding it up until her thoughts jumbled together and made no sense. She sat on the chair, her arms absently rolling the sheet up in front of her body and shed her first tear. She felt an arm around her shoulders pulling her into an embrace.  
  
“What happened?” Sheri asked.  
  
“I don’t know.” Betty wailed. “I was pulling out all of the stops, just like Hilda had told me too and he just runs out of here.”  
  
Sheri motioned to Blake to give her her bag, delving around inside in search of a tissue and giving it to Betty as soon as she’d found one. “Well, I’m not quite sure why he did that.”  
  
“And he said he was busy tonight and tomorrow.” Betty refuted.  
  
“Getting out of here for a cold shower, I’d imagine,” Blake put in. Then seeing the doleful look on her face, “Sheri, tell her.”  
  
“Tell me what?”  
  
Sheri sighed, “he doesn’t have a date tonight or tomorrow. The little strip tease thing you had going on behind your towel there probably got him so hot underneath the collar that he couldn’t handle it any longer. Blake is right, he’s probably gone to cool off.”  
  
She hung her head sheepishly, “you saw that?”  
  
“From my angle it was hard not to, and poor Daniel’s gills were turning rosier with every second that passed. He’s in love with you, Betty. Maybe he doesn’t yet realise it but he wants you, without a doubt.”  
  
“What do you think I should do?”  
  
Blake laughed, “high-tail it out of here and get over to his apartment pronto.”  
  
“I don’t know,” Betty shook her head, “maybe I should just let him cool off a bit.”  
  
“And waste the good work you’ve both put in this morning?” Sheri asked, “Do you like him?”  
  
Betty nodded, “yes.”  
  
“Ok, do you have feelings for him?”  
  
Again the answer was a resounding, “yes”.  
  
“Do you want him, Betty?”  
  
She nodded emphatically, “yes, I want him. I need him too.”  
  
Sheri laughed, “so the final question is, do you love him?”  
  
“With all of my heart.” Betty cried out.  
  
“Then go and get him, before it’s too late and you over think this. Love is about passion and passion needs to be acted upon, not thought about.”  
  
Betty got up, shoving her belongings into the knapsack, securing it onto her back and hugging both Blake and Sheri before ordering a town car to take her to Daniel’s apartment.  
  
Within half an hour she was standing at his door, the kindly doorman having let her come up even though he was adamant that he hadn’t seen Daniel that afternoon. She’d pressed the bell, knocked on the door with her knuckles and then her fists. Now she was sat with her back to the door, her crown pressed against the wood whilst her eyes searched the ceiling above her. How long was she going to have to wait for him, especially as she hoped that Sheri was right and he didn’t actually have a date? And how desperate would she look when he turned up? After all she was still in her work out gear from earlier on, the knapsack at her feet. Perhaps she should just go home, get changed and maybe come back later on. Or maybe not.  
  
“Betty?”  
  
She let her eyes drop to meet his, the cool blue making her heart skip a beat. “Hi.” She scrambled to her feet, forgetting about the knapsack and falling over it.  
  
He stepped forward, catching her in his arms and smiling down at her,” still my clumsy, Betty.”  
  
She straightened herself, picking up the knapsack, “where have you been. I came by straight after you’d left.”  
  
“I … er … had to go and work out a few issues at the gym. Why did you come by?” He said sadly, “I said we’d talk later.”  
  
“Later wasn’t acceptable. I can’t wait anymore.”  
  
“Then you better come in,” he said, reaching into his pocket for his keys, opening the door, and allowing her to walk past him into his space as he flicked the light switch on. “Take a seat. Would you like a drink?” He said, unzipping and slipping the hoodie from his frame and walking into the kitchen, opening the cupboards in an attempt to find two clean glasses and something to put in them. When he reappeared he placed the items onto the coffee table, “I’ve only got scotch, and I wasn’t expecting any company.” Measuring out a finger into each glass, he offered her one and sat down next to her.  
  
She took a sip of the amber drink, pulling a face at the taste but enjoying the warming sensation as it slid down her throat. “So, you’re not going out tonight?” She watched him shake his head, “nor tomorrow?”  
  
“No,” he simply stated, “not tonight, not tomorrow. Not for the foreseeable future either.”  
  
“That’s a shame,” she smirked, “why not?”  
  
Knocking back his drink, he put the glass back on the table before reaching across to take her hand. “There’s this girl. Woman actually that I …”  
  
“Yes?” She asked, putting her drink onto the table and giving him her full attention.  
  
“There’s this woman that I know, who’s amazing. So smart and sexy and I … well I …” His hand reached up tentatively to her cheek, “I adore her.” His eyes sparkled with his confession.  
  
“You do?” She asked.  
  
“More than anything in the world, and today I got the chance to show her, tell her too, but I got scared and ran off when I should’ve stayed.”  
  
“Oh, Daniel.”  
  
“Betty, I’m so sorry I ran off like that but believe me with the little flash you gave me and the words you’d said to me beforehand, if I’d stayed I think I may have spontaneously combusted.”  
  
She smiled, before biting her lower lip. “You went to have a cold shower?” She asked knowingly.  
  
“Yeah, I boxed for a bit, did some weights, got on the treadmill and still had to have another cold shower after that too. Marc wasn’t wrong, you really are one hot tamale, Betty.” She rolled her eyes at his analogy, “I really have to make today up for you, don’t I?”  
  
She shook her head, “no you don’t. You just have to kiss me.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Why do you think I took the opportunity to give you a little peep show? You are seriously slow sometimes.”  
  
“Wait, so today, that wasn’t a present from Hilda for you and Hartley.”  
  
She shook her head, “Well it was a present form Hilda, but it wasn’t for me and Matt. See, there’s this guy, who’s sweet and charming and I can’t help that I’m falling in love with him. And she thought it would be a good idea for you and me … to go to that class … so that I could see first-hand if what she and Amanda and Marc and anyone else that knows us believes to be true.”  
  
“And what’s that,” he smiled, his thumb skimming over her bottom lip.  
  
“That you love me.”  
  
He grinned, “I do, very much.” His hands slid down to her waist, pulling her as close to him as she could possibly get, his mouth covering hers, kissing her with as much fervour as she knew he would. “And you love me?”  
  
“Yes, I do, Daniel. With all of my heart.” They shared another passionate kiss, Betty straddling him in order to get even closer to him if she could.  
  
“I’m going to need another cold shower if you carry on like this,” he teased, his eyes widening at the sudden realisation that Betty was up for all he could give her when she peeled the apricot vest from her body and kissed him again. The t-shirt had soon joined her vest on the floor and her hands were around her back undoing the clasp of her bra, “Betty, what are you doing?”  
  
“Finishing off the job you started earlier on. The massage you gave me was one thing Daniel, but quite honestly I have a very large itch to scratch and there’s only one person I want relieving it for me.” She got up and began sauntering off towards his bedroom.  
  
When she realised that he hadn’t followed her she walked back to the doorway, peering in at him, his head leant onto the back of the couch, trying at best to steady his erratic breathing. A wicked smile crossed her face as she took off her bra and threw it so that it landed in his lap, he looked down at the offending object, picking it up before his eyes met hers taking in her half naked form from where she stood in the doorway. He grinned, getting up from the couch, knocking back the rest of Betty’s drink and walking purposefully towards her, shedding his own t-shirt as he went. “Just remember, you asked for this Betty.” He said, as he pulled her into another arduous embrace, his tongue jostling with hers, his hands trailing wildfire across her back and then up over her breasts, his thumbs rolling over her budding nubs, both groaning from the enjoyment that their ministrations were evoking from the other. “I love you, Betty.” He said, before picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder, her nipples grazing against his back as he walked them into his bedroom. He deposited her unceremoniously onto the bed, crawling over her as she laughed and pinning her arms above her head before plummeting her mouth once more.  
  
He wanted her, she could tell, their first time would be quick but she knew that it would be loving and that he would be generous. She pulled at his sweats, edging them and his boxers down as quickly as she could, still hanging from one foot as he pulled at her yoga pants and lacy knickers, freeing her of them and her shoes and socks in one swift move. He was above her again, one hand at a nipple, his mouth covering the other, his tongue circling it, whilst his teeth teased the taut flesh. His other hand had found its way down to her core, a finger deftly pushing inside of her, seeking out her g-spot before rubbing over her sweet spot and making her moan. “Betty?” He asked, his question shy but she knew what he wanted all the same.  
  
“Yes, Daniel,” she smiled, “make love to me.” With one swift move he was inside her whilst holding onto her, his mouth firmly planted on hers. He thrust in and out, his hands on her hips helping her to match his rhythm, the tide of ecstasy welling up inside of her as her walls began to clench around him and bring him to orgasm, his body rigid above hers as he emptied inside of her, her own release following soon behind. She held him close, kissing his forehead as he came back to her. “Wow.” She breathed.  
  
“Wow, yourself. Hot tamale.” He grinned, “that was pretty wild.” He moved them up the bed so that they were laying side by side, their heads resting on the expensive down pillows on his bed. “I promise you, next time it will be much slower.”  
  
She let him kiss the palm of her hand before she ran her fingers through his hair, “so, there’s going to be a next time?” She teased.  
  
“A lifetime of them, if that’s what you want.”  
  
“Is that a proposal?”  
  
“Kind of, although I don’t have a ring just yet.”  
  
She kissed him, “I’ll say yes when you ask me.”  
  
“Thank you.” He said, holding her to him, her head resting against his chest.  
  
“For what?”  
  
“For tricking me into today.”  
  
“Oh,” she giggled, “well, I think we came away from that experience with something to show for it.”  
  
“You bet, I got the girl of my dreams and a promise from her to marry me.” He responded. “Plus I can now massage my girl whenever and wherever she wants me to. I can’t wait to actually try some of those techniques on you, Betty.” He smirked suggestively.  
  
“Hmm, sounds like a plan.” She grinned, “tell me, Daniel. Which one did you like best?”  
  
His arms snaked around her waist, holding her closer to him, “this one, Betty. The hold.”


End file.
